Method of using neutral event specification file for manufacturing line analysis

ABSTRACT

A method is provided of using a neutral event specification file for manufacturing line analysis. The method includes the steps of constructing a neutral event specification file having a specification format including at least one event, wherein each event has a name, description, at least one signal, and at least one action. The method also includes the step of executing a manufacturing line analysis model using the neutral event specification file.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/681,780, filed Jun. 4, 2001, which claimsbenefit of Ser. No. 60/236,965 filed Sep. 29, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to programmable logiccontrollers and, more specifically, to a method of using a neutral eventspecification file for manufacturing line analysis for manufacturing amotor vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is known that programmable logic controller (PLC) code is written bycontrols engineers after assembly tooling designs are completed and amanufacturing process has been defined. The creation of the programmablelogic controller code is mostly a manual programming task with anyautomation of the code generation limited to “cutting and pasting”previously written blocks of code that were applied to similarmanufacturing tools. Once the programmable logic controller code iswritten, it is used by a programmable logic controller to buildsubsequent hard tools used in the manufacture of parts for motorvehicles. The programmable logic controller code is not validated(debugged) until the hard tools are built and tried. A significantportion of this tool tryout process is associated with the debugging ofthe programmable logic controller code at levels of detail from atool-by-tool level, to a workcell level and finally at a manufacturingline level.

It is also known that a manufacturing line is typically made of three totwenty linked workcells. Each workcell consists of a tool such as afixture to position a product, for example sheet metal, and associatedautomation, for example robots, that process the product, for example bywelding. The workcell typically consists of a fixture/tool surrounded bythree or four robots. The product is then transferred to the nextworkcell in the manufacturing line for further processing, until itexits the manufacturing line.

It is further known that the workcells for a manufacturing line can bemodeled before the manufacturing line is implemented. Current modelingtechnologies, such as Robcad from Tecnomatix and Igrip from Delmia, forthe manufacturing process are limited in scope to a workcell level, dueto how these type of technologies represent and manipulate threedimensional data and tool motions. This scope limitation is due to themanner in which tooling geometry is defined and the manner in which toolmotions are described and displayed to a user. The geometryrepresentation is typically defined using Non-Uniform Rational BSpline(NURB) type equations, which are very exact and precise, but requireintensive microprocessor calculations. The tooling and robotic motionsare also microprocessor intensive in that the articulations andmovements are described through the use of complex kinematic equationsand solvers. Presently, there is no mechanism to verify that the plannedinteractions between linked workcells is indeed feasible until themanufacturing line is actually fabricated and assembled on a floor of amanufacturing plant.

Therefore, it is desirable to represent tooling space, tooling motions,and product information and transfer to enable integration andcoordination into a manufacturing line for analysis prior to toolfabrication, assembly, and tryout. It is also desirable to provide aneutral event specification file which is not specific to anymanufacturing tooling design or process planning system that contains adescription of interlocked events which define the requireddependencies, actions, and signals that are associated with sequencingand cycling manufacturing tooling devices. It is further desirable toprovide a method that uses a neutral event specification file to enablecollecting, locating, and event integration of independently definedtooling and workcell modeling for manufacturing line analysis.Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a method of using aneutral event specification file for manufacturing line analysis formanufacturing a motor vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is a method of using a neutral eventspecification file for manufacturing line analysis. The method includesthe steps of constructing a neutral event specification file having aspecification format comprising at least one event, wherein each eventhas a name, description, at least one signal, and at least one action.The method also includes the step of executing a manufacturing lineanalysis model using the neutral event specification file.

One advantage of the present invention is that a method of using aneutral event specification file for a manufacturing line analysis isprovided for use in building a manufacturing line to manufacture a motorvehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the methoduses a neutral event specification file that enables integration ofmultiple and independently defined three dimensional CAD tooling,fixture, workcell, and product design models into a single andcomprehensive total manufacturing line analysis model. Yet anotheradvantage of the present invention is that the method enables analysisfor entire manufacturing lines within one single modeling environment,prior to tooling fabrication and tryout of the actual manufacturingline. Still another advantage of the present invention is that themethod provides significant reduction in programmable logic controllercoding, workcell level PLC debugging, and manufacturing line level PLCdebugging that is normally associated with the manufacturing line tryoutprocedure. A further advantage of the present invention is that themethod brings together all the three dimensional product data, threedimensional tooling design data, tooling motions/behaviors, andinteractions between tools and product data associated with an entiremanufacturing line. Yet a further advantage of the present invention isthat the method provides for pre-build verification of workcell toworkcell interactions and total manufacturing line operation, so thatany necessary adjustments or changes in tool design can be made whilethe manufacturing line is still in “design state”, rather than thecurrent practice of not being able to test for workcell to workcellinteraction issues until tool build and manufacturing line tryout.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readilyappreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading thesubsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system, according to the presentinvention, for using a neutral event specification file formanufacturing line analysis illustrated in operational relationship withan operator.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method, according to the present invention,of using a neutral event specification file for manufacturing lineanalysis for the system of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, one embodiment of asystem 10, according to the present invention, for using a neutral eventspecification file for manufacturing line analysis is illustrated. Inthe present invention, an operator 12 uses the system 10 to perform themanufacturing line analysis. The system 12 includes a computer 14 tosend and receive information to and from a design engineering source 16via an electronic link. The design engineering source 16 includes aproduct design system, manufacturing cell design system, fixture andtooling design system, plant layout design system, and othermanufacturing line related design systems to provide engineering datafor standard components, tools, fixture models, and robots to interactwith the fixture models. These design systems have the ability to readand write in the neutral event specification file format, in thisembodiment, named VLE. For example, the operator 12 may use the workcelldesign system to write to a neutral control model or event specificationfile for workcell models, incorporating information from the neutralevent specification file from the fixture design system. Specifically,if a fixturing station has robots or flexible automation involved, theworkcell design system will import the fixture and processing datadefined in the neutral event specification file from the fixture designsystem, allowing the user to add robots to interact with the fixture andother tooling such as clamps. It should be appreciated that severalneutral event specification files may be written by the systems of thedesign engineering source 16.

The computer 14 also sends and receives information to and from amanufacturing engineering source 18 via an electronic link. Themanufacturing engineering source 18 includes data on manufacturingengineering such as a tooling line. The manufacturing engineering source18 also sends and receives information to and from a manufacturing linebuild source 20 via an electronic link. The manufacturing line buildsource 20 includes data for building the manufacturing line (not shown)for the manufacture of parts (not shown) for a motor vehicle (notshown). The computer 14 also sends and receives information from amanufacturing line verification source 22 via an electronic link. Themanufacturing line verification source 22 verifies the workcell toworkcell interactions and total manufacturing line operation. Themanufacturing line build source 20 automatically generates theprogrammable logic controller (PLC) code, which is then used at physicaltool build. An example of automatically generating PLC code for buildinga physical tool is disclosed in copending application Ser. No.09/312,499, filed May 17, 1999, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference. It should be appreciated that the computer12, electronic links, and sources are conventional and known in the art.

Referring to FIG. 2, a method, according to the present invention, ofusing a neutral event specification file for manufacturing line analysiswith the system 10 is shown. In general, the method constructs a neutralevent specification file, converts the neutral event specification fileinto a compatible PLC code and analytically verifies the PLC code. Itshould be appreciated that the method is carried out on the computer 14of the system 10 by the operator 12.

The neutral event specification file is a neutral file that contains anevent specification format to enable collecting, locating, and eventintegration of independently defined tooling and workcell models. Ingeneral, a model is typically some representation of critical elementsof a real entity. As used herein, the neutral event specification fileis a representation of the critical elements required to controlmanufacturing tooling. This term “neutral” is meaningful in that theevent specification file used in this process is not specific to any onemanufacturing tooling design or process planning system. The neutralevent specification file contains a description of interlocked events(sometimes referred to as networked event), which define the requireddependencies, actions, and signals that are associated with sequencingand cycling manufacturing tooling devices. For example, in constructinga vehicle body (not shown) of the motor vehicle, the event specificationfile would have individual events that describe when the conditions werecorrect for a clamp to open or close. It should be appreciated thatevent specification information from the neutral event specificationfile can be readily passed from one manufacturing design system toanother as long as all the tool design systems can interpret the neutralevent specification file format, in this embodiment, named VisLine Event(VLE) file.

The VLE file defines a series of events that can be played in theVisLine visualization environment. The events define an action oractions that occur when it is activated and a structure of signals anddependencies to trigger the execution of events. The VLE file is astructured ASCII file that contains descriptions for one or more events.The order of events within the file is not relevant as one or more VLEfiles may be parsed and read into memory of the computer 14 at one time.It should be appreciated that only after all event descriptions are readare the events processed.

In the VLE file, events contain the following information:

Name Unique name for the event Description Text description of what theevent does Dependency None to a plurality dependencies that must be metbefore the event will be activated. Signals Signals that can be set bythe event that trigger dependencies in other events. Each event definesa STARTED and DONE signal and may set other custom signals. Actions Oneor more actions that may be performed by the event when it executes.Child Events Other events that are children of the current event. Allowsevents to be organized in a hierarchical manner.

The syntax of the event block is shown below:

Event {  Name = <name>   [Description = <strings>]   [Dependency =<Dependency string>]   [Signals = <    <Signal name> <Boolean>   >]  [Action = <Action Block>]   [ChildEvent = <Event>]  }

Name

This is a string containing the event name and must be unique across allVLE files that are loaded at a given time.

Description

This is a text description of the event used purely for documentationpurposes.

Signals

Signals define flags that may be set by the event to notify anotherevent that something has happened. A signal must have a unique namewithin an event and define an initial value of True or False. Each eventhas two predefined signals: STARTED and DONE. The STARTED signal is setwhenever the event is activated and the DONE signal is set when theevent completes. These signals do not need to be defined but assumed tobe part of every event.

When custom signals are defined using the Signals block, they mustinclude an initial value. This block then simply defines the initialstate of the defined signal, but no notifications are actually sent toother events until the signal is specifically set by another mechanism.

Dependency String

This is a string that defines what dependencies must be met before theevent will be activated. A dependency consists of a signal name in theform [!] EventName: Signal Name, where the ! indicates a value of False.Thus, an event might have a dependency on a positive signal in anotherevent with a dependency line as follows:

Dependency=“Event1:DONE”

This would indicate that the event would not be started until the DONEsignal was set to True in Event1. Correspondingly, an event could have adependency on a signal in an event being false with the followingsyntax:

Dependency=“!Event1:CUSTOM_(—)1”

This would indicate that the event will not be activated until thesignal CUSTOM_1 in Event1 is set to False.

It is also possible to have a complex dependency expression containing acombination of signals joined by AND, OR, and NOT operators along withparenthesis for precedence. An example is shown below:

Dependency=“(Event1:DONE & !Event2:STARTED) Event3:DONE

This dependency string would evaluate to true when: (Event1 is DONE ANDEvent2 is NOT STARTED) OR (Event3 is DONE). The operators are:

& AND | OR ! NOT ( ) PRECEDENCE

Action

An action block defines what actions are to take place when an event isactivated. Examples include playing a VFM motion file, loading somegeometry, moving some geometry, etc. Events generally have a singleaction, though it is possible to include more that one action blockwithin an event. These events would then be executed concurrently whenthe event executes.

Child Event

A child event defines another event, which is constructed as a child ofthe event where it is specified. This allows events to be organized in ahierarhical manner and allows signals to be scoped for a particular treeof events. For example, a signal name “Signal1” with no qualifying eventname would reference the signal in the parent event. A signal name“::Signal1” would refer to Signal1 in the event's parent's parent, etc.

EXAMPLE

Event } // Event Name is Event6 Name = “Event6” Description = “Open thespool and turn on the spool assembly” // Event6 will not start untilEvent4 is DONE Dependency = “Event4:DONE” // Event6 defines two customsignals, CUSTOM_1 and CUSTOM_2 both of which have an initial value offalse. //Also, events by default always define two standard signals,STARTED and DONE which are initially both false when the event iscreated. Signals = < “CUSTOM_1” false “CUSTOM_2” false > // This eventalso contains an Action block to play a VFM file. Action blocks aredefined in the following sections. Action = MovieAction {File =“reel-open- spool.vfm” Duration = 4.0 // Below is a nested child eventthat is dependent on a signal being set in its parent. ChildEvent =Event {Name = “ChildEvent1” Description = “Child of Event6” // Thisevent is dependent on its parents signal “CUSTOM_1” being set to true.Dependency = “:CUSTOM_1” Action = MovieAction { Fle =“reel_close_spool.vfm” Duration = 4.0 } }

Action Blocks

An action block is a block within an event that defines that action thatis to be taken when that event is activated. Each type of action and isdefined below:

Movie Action

Plays the contents of a VFM file over a specified duration in seconds.

Signal Timing Action

A Signal Timing Action is used to fire custom signals in an event atpredefined intervals. This allows an event to set a signal to some valueafter it has been executing for some amount of time.

Visibility Action

The Visibility Action is used to set the visibility of parts orassemblies within the view.

Linear Extraction Action

The Linear Extraction Action defines a path that a part or assemblyshould move along and then shows the part/assembly moving along thatpath over the specified duration.

Camera Action

The Camera action is used to position the camera to show alternateviewpoints of the scene.

The method starts or begins in bubble 100 and advances to block 102. Inblock 102, the method receives information from engineering sourceapplications and data such as the design engineering source 16. Theengineering source applications and data may include product design,manufacturing cell design, fixture and tooling design, plant layoutdesign, and other manufacturing line related design data. The productdesign information may be a single part or a plurality of parts to beassembled in a manufacturing line. The manufacturing cell designinformation typically includes flexible automation, for example robots,material handling, etc. The fixture and tooling design informationtypically includes hard tooling such as a clamp. The plant layout designinformation typically includes location of the manufacturing line, forexample location of columns, aisles, etc. The other manufacturing linedesign information typically includes intersection points of othermanufacturing lines (where two manufacturing lines merge), location ofcontrol panels, remote valving stations, energy cabinets, and otheritems that take up space that potentially could interfere with toolmovements and operator interactions. The operator 12 uses the computer14 to construct neutral event specification files for a single tool orcell sequence, geometry files, and tooling behavior motion files fromthe engineering source applications and data in block 102.

After block 102, the method advances to block 104 and executes amanufacturing line analysis model. The manufacturing line analysis modelreceives at least one neutral event specification file, geometry file,and tooling behavior or motion file. The neutral event specificationfile contains information in a neutral event specification file formatto enable both integration and coordination of the independently definedtooling and workcell models. The neutral event specification file may bea single tool or workcell sequence for a standard component, tool andfixture models by the fixture design system. For example, the fixturedesign system has the ability to read and write in the VLE.Specifically, the fixture design system can create a neutral eventspecification file definition that describes how four clamps need to besequenced along with a hard-tooled welder. The geometry file containsinformation of tessellated three-dimensional geometry to representtooling space. Tessellation is the converting of very precisenon-uniform relational boundary equations (partial and differentialequations) into polygonal data (triangles, bricks, rectangles), whichare less computationally intensive for a microprocessor of the computer14 to generate and manipulate. The motion file contains information oftransformational positional arrays to represent tooling motions andallowed tooling behavior. For example, a single pivot point clamp hasonly two allowed behaviors, when it rotates from an open position to aclosed position when instructed, and then rotates from its closedposition to its open position when instructed. In this example, thereare two events, one for each allowed tooling motion or behavior. Themotion files capture the allowed tooling behavior in transformationalpositional arrays and the use of a neutral event specification forintegration of data and tooling behavior. The motion files usetransformational positional arrays to capture in 4 by 4 arrays theposition and orientation in three-dimensional space over given timeintervals that the tessellated geometry of the tooling is being operatedthrough in a form that is significantly less computationally intensivethan the use of kinematic equations. It should be appreciated that theneutral event specification file information that describes events,dependencies, and logical conditions that are used to drive amanufacturing line model to be described.

In block 104, the manufacturing line analysis model collects multipleindependently defined manufacturing line data such as three dimensionaldigital data (geometry files), tooling behaviors (motion files), andtooling sequence (neutral event file). The manufacturing line analysismodel organizes the manufacturing line and executes the manufacturingline such as location of fixtures, tooling, workcells, product transferthrough manufacturing line, workcell to workcell integration, and totalmanufacturing line integration. The manufacturing line analysis modelverifies the manufacturing line such as line capability to designcriteria, product to manufacturing line compatibility, manufacturingline optimization relative to part flow, and manufacturing line fit tomanufacturing plant layout. The method reads and manages the entireneutral event specification files required to model a manufacturing lineby the line verification system 22. The line verification system 22 hasthe ability to read in the VLE files. The line verification system 22also has the ability to manage large amounts of computer aided drafting(CAD) data. The method writes a manufacturing line model file by theline verification system 22 to “logically link” the workcells into amanufacturing line. The line verification system 22 has the ability towrite in VLE that enables logical linking the neutral eventspecification files, geometry files, and motion files. The method playsa manufacturing line model by the line verification system 22, which isdriven by the control model described within the manufacturing linemodel file. It should be appreciated that the line verification system22 is predominately a collector of data and a viewing tool, not acreator of data.

From block 104, the method advances to diamond 106 and determineswhether a good manufacturing line model exists by the operator 12. Forexample, the operator 12 determines whether there is interferencebetween a clamp moving and the location of a column of the manufacturingplant. If a good manufacturing line model exists, the method advances toblock 108 and the manufacturing line model is verified and manufacturingengineering proceeds with the build of the manufacturing line. In oneembodiment, if a good manufacturing line exists, the manufacturing linemodel uses a “virtual programmable logic controller” code generator toautomatically generate the PLC code with the virtual PLC code generatorfrom the manufacturing line model. The virtual PLC code generator willcreate PLC code (with diagnostics) from a VLE file. As previouslydescribed, the manufacturing line model will only contain informationthat is critical to describing how the tooling should operate “asdesigned” or “as expected” conditions, sometimes referred to as straightsequence cycling. It should be appreciated that typically only fifteenpercent (15%) to thirty percent (30%) of the PLC code is associated withthe straight sequence control of equipment and the remainder of the PLCcode is to provide diagnostic and human machine interface information tooperators when the equipment gets into non-normal or non-expectedstates.

The method instructs the line verification system 22 by the virtual PLCgenerator based on the PLC code. The method plays a manufacturing linemodel by the line verification system 22, which is driven by the PLCcode generated by the virtual PLC generator to analytically verify thePLC code. The validation is performed by having the virtual PLCgenerator instruct CAD tooling models associated with the creation ofthe manufacturing line model that the virtual PLC generator read in. Themethod then advances to bubble 110 and ends. It should be appreciatedthat the “handshake” between the line verification system 22 and virtualPLC generator allows for the testing of the actual PLC code, includingthe diagnostic and human machine interface portion of the PLC code.

In diamond 106, if the manufacturing line model is not good or correct,the method advances to diamond 112 and determines whether a change isrequired to the engineering source data from the design engineeringsource 16 such as the fixture design system and/or workcell designsystem to adjust the fixture/workcell description by the fixture designsystem and workcell design system. If no change is required, the methodadvances to block 114 and modifies the manufacturing line analysis modelpreviously described. In block 114, the method modifies the geometrylocations and sequence data from the neutral event specification file.The method then advances to block 104 previously described.

In diamond 112, if a change is required, the method advances to block116 and modifies the engineering source data. In block 116, the methodmodifies the geometry and tool behavior or motion from the geometryfiles and motion files, respectively. The method then advances to block102 previously described.

Accordingly, the present invention uses a neutral event specification tocreate flexibility in that it does not require the manufacturing tooldesign technologies to all be using the same CAD engine, as now theevent information is transported and described independent of the actualgeometric description of the tooling models and does not require the useof intelligent tooling object models. The present invention allows forunlimited scope that manufacturing line models can be defined because ofbeing independent of a specific CAD system. This enables building up ofscaleable manufacturing modeling solutions, since the eventspecification file is a set of interlocked events and multiple eventspecification files can be brought together, independent of themanufacturing tool design system that created them. This neutral eventspecification can then be delivered to a workcell modeling system, whererobots are then added around the fixture, and the event specificationfile initially defined by the fixture modeling system is now augmentedby the workcell modeling system to account for the robots now having tointeract with the fixture and clamps. The scale continues to grow as nowseveral workcell level neutral event specification files are broughttogether in line modeling technology, VisLine, and once again the eventspecification files are augmented to reflect line level integration andinteraction requirements.

The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. Itis to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, isintended to be in the nature of words of description rather than oflimitation.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possiblein light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of theappended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than asspecifically described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of using a neutral event specificationfile for manufacturing line analysis, said method comprising the stepsof: constructing at least one neutral event specification file having aspecification format comprising at least one event, wherein each eventhas a name, description, at least one signal, and at least one action toenable collecting, locating, and event integration of independentlydefined manufacturing tooling; constructing a manufacturing lineanalysis model using the at least one neutral event specification file,at least one geometry file, and at least one motion file; and executingthe manufacturing line analysis model using a manufacturing lineverification system to verify a manufacturing line.
 2. A method as setforth in claim 1 wherein the specification format includes at least onechild event.
 3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the at leastone action includes at least one action block.
 4. A method as set forthin claim 3 wherein the at least one action block comprises one from agroup comprising a movie action, signal timing action, visibilityaction, and camera action.
 5. A method as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe at least one signal comprises a flag.
 6. A method as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said step of executing the manufacturing line analysismodel includes receiving the at least one neutral event specificationfile, the at least one geometry file, and the at least one motion file.7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of executingincludes linking the at least one neutral specification file, the atleast one geometry file, and the at least one motion file together toform the manufacturing line analysis model.
 8. A method as set forth inclaim 6 wherein said step of executing further comprises playing themanufacturing line analysis model by the manufacturing line verificationsystem.
 9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the specificationformat includes at least one dependency.
 10. A method as set forth inclaim 9 wherein the at least one dependency includes at least one from agroup comprising AND, OR, NOT operators.
 11. A method as set forth inclaim 10 wherein the at least one dependency includes parenthesis forprecedence of the operators.
 12. A method as set forth in claim 1wherein the specification format is defined in the order of the name,description, at least one signal, and at least one action.
 13. A methodas set forth in claim 12 wherein the specification format is furtherdefined to include at least one child event after the at least oneaction.
 14. A method of using a neutral event specification file formanufacturing line analysis, said method comprising the steps of:constructing at least one neutral event specification file having aspecification format comprising at least one event, wherein each eventhas a name, description, at least one signal, and at least one action toenable collecting, locating, and event integration of independentlydefined manufacturing tooling; receiving the at least one neutral eventspecification file, at least one geometry file, and at least one motionfile; constructing a manufacturing line analysis model using the atleast one neutral event specification file, at least one geometry file,and at least one motion file; executing the manufacturing line analysismodel using a manufacturing line verification system; determining by anoperator whether an acceptable manufacturing line exists based on themanufacturing line analysis model; and using the manufacturing lineanalysis model to build the manufacturing line if determined that anacceptable manufacturing line exists.
 15. A method as set forth in claim14 including the step of determining whether a change is required to themanufacturing line if determined that an acceptable manufacturing linedoes not exist.
 16. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein thespecification format includes at least one child event.
 17. A method asset forth in claim 14 wherein the at least one action includes at leastone action block.
 18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the atleast one action block comprises one from a group comprising a movieaction, signal timing action, visibility action, and camera action. 19.A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said step of executing furthercomprises playing the manufacturing line analysis model by themanufacturing line verification system.
 20. A method of using a neutralevent specification file for manufacturing line analysis, said methodcomprising the steps of: constructing at least one neutral eventspecification file having a specification format comprising at least oneevent, wherein each event has a name, description, at least one signal,and at least one action to enable collecting, locating, and eventintegration of independently defined manufacturing tooling; receivingthe at least one neutral event specification file, at least one geometryfile, and at least one motion file; constructing a manufacturing lineanalysis model using the at least one neutral event specification file,at least one geometry file, and at least one motion file; and executinga manufacturing line analysis model using a manufacturing lineverification system; determining by an operator whether an acceptablemanufacturing line exists based on the manufacturing line analysismodel; using the manufacturing line analysis model to build themanufacturing line if determined that an acceptable manufacturing lineexists; determining whether a change is required to the manufacturingline if determined that an acceptable manufacturing line does not exist;modifying the manufacturing line analysis model if a change is notrequired to the manufacturing line; and modifying the at least oneneutral event specification file if a change is required to themanufacturing line.